2019 Election: 100 Good Reasons Why Emeka Ihedioha is Imo Best for Governor

From available evidence of the private and public life of Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha manifesting in his highly impressive rating in learning, character and conduct, he is good to be enthroned the next governor of Imo State come 2019. Though reading culture is at an all time low in Imo State and Nigeria, any committed research into the curriculum vitae or résumé as the case may be will reveal more than 1000 reasons why he is Imo best governor material in 2019. However, for constraint of time and space, I have sifted the gamut of very rich career success history to distill the best 100 reasons. In the following paragraph and in number format, I have itemized, in no particular ordered arrangement, with little or no elaboration, the 100 factors that stand Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha out as the man divinely destined by God to reorganize and restore Imo to her rightful high height in the comity of states in Nigeria.

1. His name is Chukwuemeka Nkemakolam Ihedioha.
2. He was born on March 24, 1965 at Mbutu in Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State.
3. He is a very illustrious son of the great Mbaise nation.
4. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha was born in the East, bred in the West and buttered in the North. He is a complete Nigerian.
5. His first name, Chukwuemeka, glorifies the Almighty God for His divine blessing in the gift of birth and life to him and his family.
6. His middle name, Nkemakolam, connotes the will to possess the possession due to him and his family. It reminds of the saying “I must possess my possession”!
7. His surname, Ihedioha, denotes a thing of popular public appeal.
8. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha is very well educated intellectual and holds a Bachelors degree in Food Science Technology of the prestigious University of Lagos (UNILAG).
9. He has acquired numerous further post graduate education, courses and trainings at some of the world’s bet institutions of higher learning such as Harvard and Stanford universities in America, Oxford University and London School of Economics in the United Kingdom, British Columbia in Canada and many others.
10. He has visited over forty countries of the world. Travelling is a well known means of education. And Ndigbo say that he that travels the world is wiser than the wisest sages.
11. He is very digital and 21^st Century compliant.
12. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha is happily married to his one and only lovely wife, Lady Ebere Emeka Ihedioha without any story of domestic bridal assault and battery.
13. He is blessed with four beautiful, promising children.
14. He is a pious and devout practising Christian of the Anglican Communion.
15. He is a Knight of St. Christopher (KSC).
16. He holds the Primatial award for Integrity in Leadership from the Anglican Communion.
17. He served Nigeria first in 1989 as a National Corps Service member in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme.
18. After his National Youth Service (NYSC) programme in 1989 he secured employment at the National Assembly in 1992.
19. Between 1992 and 2003 he served as Press Officer to the then Senate President, Iyorchia Ayu; Deputy Senate President, Albert Legogie, as Chief Press Secretary; Senate President, Chuba Okadigbo as Special Assistant on Media and Publicity. These were at the National Assembly (Legislature). Thereafter, he was appointed Special Assistant to the Presidential Adviser on Utilities after which he was appointed Special Assistant on Political Matters to the then Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
20. In 2003, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha was elected into the House of Representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to represent Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency.
21. In 2007, Emeka Ihedioha was re-elected for a second term into the Federal House.
22. In 2011, he was elected for a record third term. He is reputed to be among the very few Nigerians that have returned to the National Assembly for three consecutive times.
23. In 2007 he elected the Chief Whip of the Federal House.
24. In 2011, he was elected the Deputy Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives.
25. For few weeks in the first quarter of 2015, he was adopted as the Speaker of the House in lieu of the leave of absence of the elected Mr. Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal, who was running for the office of the governor in Sokoto State, of which he eventually won and became governor of Sokoto State since 2015.
26. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha has a wide spectrum of legislative and executive experience from his cognate twenty three years of public service in the National Assembly and the Presidency, Aso Rock, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
27. As a lawmaker and later a principal officer of the National Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha was Chairman of one of the key Committees of the Federal House viz Committee on Maritime Transport.
28. As Chairman of Committee on Marine Transport he ensured the passage of the celebrated landmark “Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Act of 2007 and the “Merchant Shipping” Act of 2007.
29. He ensured the perfection of the legislation for the domestication of the International Ship and Ports Facility Security (ISPS) Code.
30. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha personally sponsored and facilitated the passage into law of the Bill that established the “Council for Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN).
31. As Chief Whip in 2007, he served as Chairman of various Ad-Hoc Committees of the Federal House.
32. As Deputy Speaker, he was the Chairman, House Ad-Hoc Committee on Constitutional Review.
33. He was Chairman, House Ad-Hoc Committee of the Whole in which he presided over core lawmaking, the very most crucial aspect of the legislative business.
34. He was Chairman, House Ad-Hoc Committee on Legislative Agenda.
35. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha was Alternate Chairman, Governing Council of Nigeria Institute of Legislative Studies (NILS).
36. He was on the national political scene for about two decades during which period he made his mark as a cognate member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) since 1995 till date.
37. He was Chairman, National Screening Panel that screened and certified aspirants into various national offices of the PDP in 2013.
38. In 2014, he was a member of the National Integration Committee of the PDP for North Central.
39. In Imo State, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha is a major bulwark and one of the major financiers of the PDP since 2011 and has remained committed to rebuilding Imo PDP into the formidable force that it is now.
40. By virtue of his office as Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha ensured that party members received federal patronage and facilitated employment of party members and other qualified citizens.
41. On the international scene, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha was Leader of Nigeria’s Parliamentary delegation to the Third Legislative Session of the ECOWAS Parliament (2011-2015).
42. He was Deputy Leader of the Nigerian delegation to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) (2011-2015).
43. From 2007 to 2011, he was at the head of several delegations to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) to many Commonwealth nations in Africa, Asia and the Pacific. He as the President of CPA, Nigeria Chapter.
44. In 2009, he was nominated by the National Democratic Institute as part of the international observer group that monitored parliamentary elections in Lebanon.
45. For his two decades of public service and at the House and Aso Rock, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha was conferred with the 4^th highest honour and award of national recognition as Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) on November 14, 2011.
46. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Shipping.
47. He received the Distinguished Service Award of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).
48. In 1990-2009, he was voted One of Nigeria’s 50 Most Outstanding Legislators.
49. He was conferred with the Fellowship of Nigeria Institute of Food Science and Technology.
50. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators (ICMC).
51. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha received the African Achievers Award in Kenya.
52. He also received the USAfrica International Legislative Award.
53. He holds many chieftaincy titles.
54. He is the Omenka Ahuruanya of Mbaise.
55. He is the Ezeugo of Nri.
56. He is the Odozi Obodo Ngor Okpala.
57. He is the Ezienyi Nguru.
58. He is Ezienyi Uvuru.
59. He is the Ebubedike Agulu.
60. He is the Ebube Mba of Ngwaland.
61. He is Odiuko Na Mba of Obinugwu-Orlu
62. He is the Oke Osisi Umuohiagu.
63. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha in the course of his sojourn at the National Assembly attracted and facilitated several infrastructural projects and development programmes to his immediate constituency, Imo State, and the Southeast geo-political zone at large.
64. He attracted inter-state and intra-city roads, power transmission/injection stations, vocational training centres, healthcare facilities, schools, sporting facilities etc. The projects are there to testify to this.
65. He used his personal and official contacts to facilitate the comprehensive empowerment of thousands of women and youths through skills acquisition training, scholarships and trading support.
66. In Orlu zone, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha empowered the youth and students by way of supply of educational facilities such as science laboratory equipment to 43 schools in the 12 LGAs of the zone valued at multi-millions.
67. In Okigwe zone, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha empowered youths and students empowered the youth and students by way of supply of educational facilities such as science laboratory equipment to 33 schools in the 6 LGAs of the zone valued at multi-millions.
68. In Owerri zone, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha empowered the youth and students by way of supply of educational facilities such as science laboratory equipment to 75 schools in the 9 LGAs of the zone valued multi-millions.
69. In Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency, where Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha got his first elective political service as their representative, he attracted 159 projects. The beneficiary educational institutions, the autonomous communities, their wards and local governments across Imo State are still there to testify to the great projects Rt. Iherdioha attracted to the federal constituency.
70.   He offered skill acquisition and vocational training empowerment for 1517 women and youths who were given ample seed capital as well as basic tools and equipment to start business  in the area of trade they were trained. Most of them are still in business till date.
71. He offered overseas scholarship grants to 28 students of Imo origin for undergraduate and post-graduate studies. Some of them have completed their studies while some are still enjoying the Ihedioha scholarship.
72. He provided employment into ministries, departments and agencies of the federal civil service to 217 Imo youths, all of whom are still working and earning decent livelihood.
73. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha reverences the Christian church so much. He recognizes, regards and respects the religious institution. As he is committed to his native Anglican Communion, so he is committed to the Catholic and Pentecostal denominations. Only recently, he joined Catholics in his Mbaise nation to receive the new Bishop of Ahiara Catholic Diocese in a very grand style.
74. He will never talk back at a clergy man not to consider attacking a clergy man with harassment or embarrassment. He has never done it and will never do it.
75. He tremendously contributes physically, financially and materially in the development of the church in whatever environment he finds himself.
76. He recognizes, regards and respects all classes and categories of people in the society.
77. He recognizes, regards and respects Ndieze Imo and other traditional rulers anywhere in the world. Little wonder he has walls full of awards of traditional chieftaincy titles he does not like to advertize.
78. As a seasoned public servant of repute, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha recognizes, regards and respects civil servants, both serving workers and retired pensioners, of all cadres everywhere, especially at home in Imo State.
79. He believes payment of workers’ salaries and retirees’ pensions should be as frontline charge.
80. He recognizes, regards and respects women as mothers, wives, sisters, aunts. He receives the girl-child as pupils and students that form the fulcrum of future hope of families and society.
81. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha recognizes and respects the youth class at all levels, in various schools and higher institutions, in business and trading, and work places and offices. He takes issues pertaining to youth human capacity development as a primary assignment. Only last week (March 26, 2018), at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), he awarded scholarships to ten students. Hitherto, of all his skill acquisition empowerment to 1517 people, youths are over 1000. In the course of his time in the National Assembly, he awarded overseas scholarships to 28 youths. Emeka Ihedioha who easily passes for a youth at age 53, is youth friendly and compliant.
82. He recognizes, regards and respects fellow intellectuals and professionals from all works of life.
83. He recognizes, regards and respects all transporters, mechanics, and various caliber of artisans who provide the basic engineering services that make the society roll on.
84. He recognizes, regards the captains of industry and entire business class whose efforts still help to make the society worth a living by their producing, manufacturing, importing and distributing foods, goods, equipment and services.
85. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha loves and promotes sports and sporting activities. In Imo State, everybody knows him to be a die-in-the-wool fan of Spartans Football Club of yore, through to when it became Iwuanyanwu Nationale Football Club, till now that it is Heartlands Football Club of Owerri. Nationally he is a great fan of Nigeria’s Super Eagles. Internationally, he a total uncompromisable fan of all time Premiere League top club, Arsenal Football Club. Besides football he supports athletics, and other field games. Significantly, he supports Disable Sports, earning himself the award of patron by the Disable Sports Council.
86. He loves and promotes culture and tradition including wrestling and various cultural dances by men, women and youths.
87. He loves and promotes high quality affordable education at all levels, nursery, primary, secondary, and tertiary.
88. He is so passionately burdened with the plight of humanity and all his energy is invested in working out ways of ameliorating the conditions of humanity, especially the vulnerable, indigent and mendicant.
89. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha is humble and down to earth.
90. He is loyal to all classes of people and humanity
91. He has high level of integrity and holds dearly his pet-phrase “My word is my bond”.
92. He has the listening ears and applies useful advice that enhances the delivery of the good life.
93. He is most transparent in his dealings with people no matter how small or big the issue.
94. He consults widely and quite exhaustively and listens to all shades of opinions and interests.
95. He is a senior apostle of accountability and has helped Imo people to acquaint with what the average all time revenue allocation receipt profile of Imo State from the Federation Account is. Hence, Imo people now agree that the incumbent government receives and borrows trillions of naira and spends billions of naira, looting more than they expend.
96. He is a lawmaker par excellence. Hence he abhors impunity and lawlessness of any form. He has high respect for rule of law.
97. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha has the core values of collaboration, leadership, accountability, responsiveness, integrity, transparency, yielding and clarity.
98. He is a very responsible citizen of Nigeria without any baggage of misdemeanour in private or public life.
99. He has proven great capacity in learning character and conduct and he is jolly good fellow, a good neighbor, loyal friend, dedicated community leader, great politician, legislator par excellence and a committed family man.
100. He is very calm, cool, collected, careful, calculative, concerned, committed, and carries stakeholders along.

I am persuaded that from my privileged position as a scholar of the Emeka Ihedioha School of Thoughts, there may be only but very few Imo people, who are pretenders purporting to want to govern Imo State in 2019, that have curriculum vitae and résumé that can match the impeccability of the curriculum vitae and résumé of Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha.  I, therefore, on a more serious note urge Ndi Imo to give him our mandate to be our governor in 2019. I swear with all that makes me Ogu Bundu, Ihedioha will restore joy to Imo and will not disappoint. Tata!